'Snakes and Ladders'

Two weeks ago I went to Iligan for my cousin's wedding. As I was laying in my bunk bed on the ship, I was reminiscing the times when we're still young, enjoying life and not worrying about anything.

It's funny how time and things have changed us. Several years ago, we would walk, talk and laugh like crazy. Now, I can say we've matured, we think of jobs, career, family, security and a lot more. Although we talk and laugh like crazy but that is because of the recollections, the memories that we had, the experiences.

We went to the same school from kindergarten to high school. We used to exchange baon (snacks/lunch). She always brought juice and sandwiches, and I brought choco drink and bread. I used to play at theirs and watch TV as we didn't have one. When we we're in high school, we went away for a short trip, about 4 hours away from home. We did ask permission from our parents to buy school supplies. We left at 7am and returned 6pm with only a pad each. We were what you would happy-go-lucky teens.When we went to university, we had to come up with plans and gimmicks so we could have extra money to support our not so luxurious 'wants'. We taught dances, sold things and other ideas to earn. Our uncles and aunts had told us that we wouldn't be successful in life, mainly because we didn't study that much but hang-out and had fun. They'd predicted that we would be stuck in the corner thinking-over what we should've done. But that didn't stop us from being happy teens. We told ourselves that we should take it as a challenge. We supported each other and stood strong against those criticisms and negative images they said we would become.

Looking at us now, I could say that we're successful. We're working, married, happy and still enjoying life.

How you consider the situations and the things going around you can affect your life and future. I'm not gonna talk about 'if we had...', 'if we hadn't...' because I can't change anything. I have no regrets.

Life is like 'Snakes and Ladders'. You get eaten by your own actions but you also gain advantage from it. Whichever way, never lose hope. Keep fighting.